Compare towns
Sharon vs Maynard vs Westwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Westwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Sharon | Maynard | Westwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,574Highest |
10,712Lowest |
16,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1Lowest 6% above MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Maynard and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westwood and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
72.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Sharon and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $191,835±$19k 85% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$223,125±$33kHighest 115% above MA |
| Westwood and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $737,100±$33k 31% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$1,041,500±$42kHighest 85% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,310±$345 31% above MA |
$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average |
$2,553±$323Highest 45% above MA |
| Westwood and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,266Lowest 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westwood and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 33% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #16 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sharon | Maynard | Westwood |
| High school in town | Sharon High | Maynard High | Westwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
9.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.